John 7:18

18 A person who speaks on his own is trying to win praise for himself; but a person who tries to win praise for the one who sent him is honest, there is nothing false about him.

John 7:18 Meaning and Commentary

John 7:18

He that speaketh of himself
. What he himself has devised, and is a scheme of his own; for which he has no divine warrant and commission:

seeketh his own glory;
honour and applause from men; as did the Scribes and Pharisees, who taught for doctrines the commandments of men, the traditions of the elders, their own glosses upon the law, and their own decisions and determinations: and as did the false teachers, who had nothing else in view but themselves, their worldly interest, or vain glory; these suited their doctrines to the minds and lusts of men, in order to gain their point:

but he that seeketh his glory that sent him;
that gave him in commission what he should say and speak, and his only; as did Christ, and so his apostles after him:

the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him;
he is an upright and faithful man, and what he says is truth; he brings true doctrine along with him, and there is no fraud or imposture in him; nor any insincerity "in his heart", as the Syriac and Persic versions render it; nor any dishonesty in his conduct; he is no cheat or deceiver; was he, he would seek his own glory and interest; but as he appears to be a man of no design, his doctrine is to be depended on and received; and such was Christ.

John 7:18 In-Context

16 So Yeshua gave them an answer: "My teaching is not my own, it comes from the One who sent me.
17 If anyone wants to do his will, he will know whether my teaching is from God or I speak on my own.
18 A person who speaks on his own is trying to win praise for himself; but a person who tries to win praise for the one who sent him is honest, there is nothing false about him.
19 Didn't Moshe give you the Torah? Yet not one of you obeys the Torah! Why are you out to kill me?"
20 "You have a demon!" the crowd answered. "Who's out to kill you?"
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.